Is McCain too old to be president?

RAW STORY
Published: Thursday August 24, 2006

Arizona Senator John McCain turns 70 on the 29th of August, leading some to ask whether he is too old to begin a term as president of the United States should he run for office and win.

McCain is considered to be a strong contender for the Republican nomination for president. But an article from the McClatchy Washington Bureau notes that no president has entered the White House advanced beyond the age of 69 - that being Ronald Reagan. McCain would be 72 if he begins his first term, just shy of Reagan's age when he began his second term.

McCain's campaigners worked to paint a picture of vitality and vigor in the Arizona senator, pointing to the senator's six years of being cancer free, his mother's longevity, and a rugged backpacking trip of the Grand Canyon he took recently with his son.

But, Republican strategists and other pollsters challenged these notions. McCain would need to reassure the public strongly that his health or intellectual capabilities would not decline as he served. Pollster John Zogby even suggested that senior voters might not rally around someone of their age, as they understand the difficulties that come with being old.

The full article can be accessed at the McClatchy Washington Bureau's webpage.